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I want to start a new thread on producing dinnerware and use the post I put up from another thread as part of the starting point. I would like to get a discussion going around dinnerware using this simple set of questions as a way to jump-in:

1. How many of you successfully produce and sell dinnerware?

2. What price do you sell a place setting for?

3. Do you see demand going up or down?

4. Do you get pull-through for other pieces because they bought the dinnerware - like serving bowls, pitchers, etc.

5. Are your customers buying for themsevles or for a major gift?

6. Are you using any creative marketing techniques specific to dinnerware?

I hope we can get a lively discussion going on this topic.

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Here is the post from the other thread. It has more to do with producing dinnerware, so I would like to add this to the discussion in the hopes we can share lessons learned from making dinnerware. The topic of plate setters is a good one because I think it does really facilitate a smarter, more efficient way to make plates.

I just finished reading an old thread on Clay Art where there was a very spirited discussion on plate setters. In the end, it appears that the consensus was they make a great deal of sense. In fact, John Baymore had a couple of great posts on the subject that would really be worth reposting here if he is so inclined.

I plan to buy both the round and square Cone 11 setters and so far, Bailey looks like the best place to get them - even though they are all the way on the other side of the country. If any one knows a supplier of the type of plate setters like Bailey sells on the west coast, I would really appreciate the name(s).

Please share any ideas not only on the plate setters but on what you have learned works and what doesn't in regards to producing successful dinnerware.

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I've only ever made one dinnerware set which I count as two ... first and last!

but ... my experience in looking for them, tells me that not many potters are producing reasonably priced dinnerware sets. Or, if they are, they are not marketing them very well.

I've often looked for online for dinnerware and serving pieces to give as wedding gifts and its amazing how few potters promote "Gift Registries" or "Wedding Registries" which I think of as a 'no brainer' marketing wise. Michael Obranovich ( http://www.obranovich.com ) promotes this very well and has landed all of our family/friends weddings. Its easy to order, reasonably priced and has always been shipped on time with no breakage. The brides who received the work as shower gifts added them to their wish list for wedding gifts.

So you might say ...Chris why are you shopping online instead of going to nearby studios/galleries etc etc ... Guilty!!

But ... I don't always have all day to spend looking for the right piece.

Another reason why you should have a great website and sell from it if supporting yourself with your pottery is your goal.

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I make and sell a lot of dinnerware, though it's still a small percentage of my overall output. I generally bring a stack of dinner plates and salad plates to every show, and sell most of them. Also, some of my galleries order quite a lot of it, I think they must specialize in tableware.

4. Do you get pull-through for other pieces because they bought the dinnerware - like serving bowls, pitchers, etc.

Sometimes.

5. Are your customers buying for themsevles or for a major gift?

Usually for themselves.

6. Are you using any creative marketing techniques specific to dinnerware?

Like Chris said, wedding registries are a gold mine. I haven't done one in a few years, but would gladly do more. I say it's "like a wholesale order with no discount." Registries are pretty much guaranteed to sell out. You need to be in a social group where lots of people are getting married. Potters who do registries start with their kids' weddings, then their kids' friends. Then their nephew, then their nephew's friends. Etc.

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I want to start a new thread on producing dinnerware and use the post I put up from another thread as part of the starting point. I would like to get a discussion going around dinnerware using this simple set of questions as a way to jump-in

How many of you successfully produce and sell dinnerware?

I do and have for over 35 years

What price do you sell a place setting for?

What's in a place setting as that has changed a lot over the years-

The old school was 4 pieces now it mostly 3 pieces and sometimes just two

I add about 15% to piece price to fire them all together to match in my reduction loads. Dinner plates-30$ salad 20$ at galleries from me less

3. Do you see demand going up or down?

I have seen a bit less thru shows and a bit more thru my outlets-People no longer want huge sets as in the distant past.

Often now they get plates then later the mugs or bowls.

At several shows I sell flatware to them then the next year other forms

4. Do you get pull-through for other pieces because they bought the dinnerware - like serving bowls, pitchers, etc.

Always

5. Are your customers buying for themselves or for a major gift?

themselves only a few gifts over 35 years+

6. Are you using any creative marketing techniques specific to dinnerware?

I always have a stack of two color plates in salad and dinner size at all shows-I'm one of the few to do this so yes this marking tool works for me

As to things not asked-if a customer buys dinnerware they usually alway over time add to it. Other orders spin off when friends over use it and want some them selves

Having a stock on had always makes it sell better-having my outlets carry plates sometime produces an order but usually sell what they have on hand more than orders.I only do a few colors now as that is easier to stock for me all the time. I keep a stack of bisqued plates in both sizes ready to fire anytime. This has paid off big over time.

I keep a box of fired plates as well to grab as needed.

Mark

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Thanks for all the great responses. I really liked the two web sites, the first for presentation and the beauty of the work and Teresa Changâ€™s both for the beauty and for her work on the use of a registry as a marketing tool. Her site seems to be slow today, but I can see conceptually how she has it set up. They put a lot of work into the back end of the site to support it but I think well worth the effort.

I think wedding/gift registries are a significant untapped resource and one of the reasons we picked Sedona for building our studio. They have 4000 weddings a year here! As part of our marketing plan, we will build out a registry on our web site as well as network /build relationships with the wedding planners and the concierges at the hotels.

In my research on excellent web sites, I found another one that really leverages a registry concept as well as does a great job of presenting his outstanding work. It is: http://www.waynebates.com/index.html

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Another inspiration on dinnerware is John Glick. He is a magnificant potter as well as a wonderful writer sharing over the years lessons he has learned. Dinnerware has always been one of his passions and his customers love it so much that at one point he had over a five year backlog on his dinnerware. I am attaching an excellent article he wrote many years ago about producing dinnerware.

Also here is a link to his web site - worth looking at and worth reading the other articles he has posted on his site:

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In fact, John Baymore had a couple of great posts on the subject that would really be worth reposting here if he is so inclined.

Red Rocks,

Thanks for the kind words there. I'd be glad to ressurect that posting here if you can give me a link to the location for the specific stuff you are talking about above.

I used to be very, very active on the CLAYART listserve..... so there is a lot in the old archives that I wrote "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away". I stopped being very involved there because of the bickering and off-topic crap that was flooding the list.

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Here (below) are the old CLAYART postings I wrote that Red Rocks is mentioning above. They are from June 2001. I have copied only the written material that I wrote and hence own... since I do not "own" the rights to the other poster's comments in that thread nor which I quoted in my posting. I was responding to comments on the list that someone else made in the first one about the tendency of plates to always warp on plate setters. In the second posting I was clarifying my comments in the first posting and elaborating on them. If you need the full context, please hit the link above to the CLAYART Archives (that link will soon go bad when the CLAYART archives get moved to a new server).

First posting about "plate setters":

Anne,

Hi. I've been using plate setters for about 23 years and have NO problems

with excessive warping. I woodfire stoneware to cone 10-ish and utilize

numerous claybodies. Without plate setters I'd be firing too many

refractories and not enough plates in a load. Plate setters allow nice

loading densities with flat forms.

Nothing inherent in good plate setters that will cause warping......

otherwise industry wouldn't have developed them . If the setter is

warped...... that is another story.....just like a warped kiln shelf.

Every now and then I chuck a worn out setter. BTW.... a "plate setter" can

simply be a smaller kiln shelf with three short posts set ont top of a

larger kiln shelf in a stack. I use a bunch of 12 inch x 12 inch x 3/8

inch shelves and 2 inch posts to set my rectangular sushi plates on in tall

bungs.

Plate warping, in my experience, seems to stem from throwing or

handbuilding techniques, HANDLING of the pieces in process, drying

unevenness, or warped kiln shelves. Pyroplasticity (getting soft in the

kiln) CAN cause problems ........ but plate setters should support the foot

area enough so that this is not an issue.

Design of a piece CAN affect warping, and design concepts should always

extend to designing for the firing of the pieces. A very pyroplastic body

used to make a plate that is suspended on isolated projecting feet can

easily sag between the feet. This will warp on either a shelf OR a plate

setter.

This is also why things like "bone china" (exceptionally pyroplastic) are

high fired to develop the fluxed body in setters that are more like slump

molds without glaze, and then glaze fired at a lower temp.

Lee Love's and Ron Roy's comments on this were excellent.

Best,

..............john

Second posting:

Hi All.

Got a private email offlist that indicated that I was a little less than

clear with my last post on plate setters. So here is a copy of what I HOPE

is a clarification I have sent to that person....... bet I confused others here too. Sorry about that .

<Editing out the quotes I included in the original here>

Typically, a handcraft potter just utilizes a "normal" kiln shelf to set

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Wedding registries and dinnerware seems to be about all I am doing these days, that and urns. (Wondering what that says about our times?)

Plates range form 30-40 depending on diameter.

Salad or soup bowls 15-20 depending on style

6 in Side plates are 18

Mug is 24.

Cup and saucer is 40.

I am working without plate setters and find this pretty "kiln" consuming, does anyone have recommendations for places that I can purchase good ones for c 10 gas firing?

Kathy

I am going to let John B, Mark C and any others with direct results answer this question as they seem to have a lot of experience with them. I use to make a boatload of dinnerware, many moons ago and wish I knew about plate setters. They make total sense. Way more efficient for kiln space and I believe they will actually reduce warping because you are setting them on a "smaller shelf" if you will. I hope to close on a property here in Sedona soon and plate setters will definitely be a part of my startup order. For what itâ€™s worth, the research I have done on this subject has me leaning towards buying them from Bailey. I have heard Tacoma Arts and Highwater also carry them. I will be most interested to hear the recommendations we get here.

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I have 2 Advancers and would love to have enough for the whole kiln but since I don't I think plate setters would be a better alternative, I have 20 plates to fire and it is important that at least 12 get into one load for glaze consistency.

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Since no one jumped in and answered Willow Tree directly, I would say go with the Bailey Plate Setters. I have done a lot of recent research on these and their approach seems to make the most sense. When I get my kiln up and running, they are the ones I plan to buy for both cone 6 and 10 in a gas kiln.